heater
n.— «Hill pointed out police had called Superintendent Richard Pennington within a half-hour of the shooting, calling it evidence that “this case was a heater from the beginning.”» —“Teen Guilty Of Murder Outside Quarter Lounge” by James Varney Times-Picayune (New Orleans, La.) Jan. 27, 1996. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Secret signals on the job: Waitresses at some 19th-century restaurants ensured speedy drink service by communicating with a non-verbal code. One server took orders, then placed each customer’s cup to indicate exactly what the customer wanted...
Emily from New Orleans, Louisiana, wonders about the expression Holy cow! to indicate surprise or delight. It’s one of many minced oaths, in this case a replacement for the stronger exclamation, Holy Christ! These euphemistic expressions, such...